The Libertarian Party of Arkansas (LPAR) submitted 13,238 signatures to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office today, significantly exceeding the 10,000 registered voter signatures required to be recognized as a “new political party.”
Should the petition be certified as sufficient, the LPAR will be eligible to nominate candidates for all partisan offices up for election in 2026, including federal, state and local races.
This is the eighth time that the party has sought such recognition. In each previous case, they were successful. Libertarians have been on the ballot in Arkansas in every general election since 2012.
“It’s about time for the state to revise its election laws to recognize parties beyond the established duopoly,” said Michael Pakko, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas. “The current system, which requires us to petition every cycle, disrespects the vital contribution we make to the political process and, more importantly, the demonstrable support we have among Arkansas voters.”
Pakko expressed strong confidence in the submission’s sufficiency for the 2026 ballot. “This isn’t our first rodeo. We’ve conducted rigorous due diligence to ensure we have more than enough valid signatures.”
The LPAR plans to nominate its candidates at a state convention on the weekend of February 21-22, 2026. Nominees must submit their credentials by noon on the date of the preferential primary election, March 3, before proceeding to the November 2026 general election.
